Happy Holidays everyone!  Time flies by so fast that I have been pretty caught up with all my late November to December happenings.  Apart from Christmas, the most unforgettable this month is when our yaya of almost 4 years left us without any warning, just a farewell letter we found on the corner of our catch all desk.  Grabe siya, di man lang nagpaalam, papayagan naman.  Magpapasko pa namaaaan.

That said, a lot of planned family lunches and dinners I offered to host were canceled, because, no help!  I finished all my work leaves and even had no-pay leaves, brought baby to work too, nagulo lahat.  Even my planned menu for Noche Buena and Christmas lunch were changed.  I can't cook in all my momm-chef glory because of two reasons: 1) I have NO HELP around to watch my baby while I do the cooking; 2) Even if I can cook, I have NOT ENOUGH TIME.  No Help. No Time.  Gusto ko pa naman ng Kare-Kare, Crispy Pata, Lechon Kawali, Leche Flan, Macaroni Salad and Spaghetti.

Buti na lang, as if the heavens heard my inner cry for help and panic in my heart, I discovered Purefoods Heat And Eat line: Crispy Pata and Lechon Kawali.
Heaven sent!  When I was doing our last minute meat and veggies buying I passed by a Monterey meatshop and got curious when I saw these new products from Purefoods.  Nanlaki mga mata ko, I said.. WHOA.. Crispy Pata for sure?  Eh kakawish ko lang nyan.  So I bought a few for our Noche Buena, for Christmas Lunch, and for NYE na rin. :)

I'm sure excited ka na rin to know how it tastes kasi I think it's the first Crispy Pata na Heat and Eat lang perfect for busy moms like us who wish to give the best and spend time in the kitchen to prepare the yummiest food for the family, yet lack the required hours to do so.  So the solution to this is to seek for convenience yet not sacrificing the quality or taste diba?  Parang yung sa mga favorite restaurants na dating lang ang peg.

Momshies.. ACHIEVE na achieve ang Crispy Pata and Lechon Kawali!  All it took me was 10 to 20 minutes to cook it in Turbo or Pan Fry.
Photos of the Purefoods Heat And Eat Crispy Pata pa lang, you can sense na malutong siya right?  I highly recommend it momshies especially now that New Year's Eve handa naman is coming up, here are some of the reasons why:

1. Saves you Effort and Time.  Imagine, you don't have to go and dress up to go to malls and eat in restaurants for a Crispy Pata, you can have it almost instantly at the convenience of your home.  Sa ating mga Pinoy families, Crispy Pata is like the highlight of our handaan right?  In movies or theater, main cast siya.  You save effort and time in preparing it to achieve the crispiness of its balat, my favorite!  It saves you time from pressure cooking the pata, seasoning and freezing it for hours, then cooking it.  Just buy Purefoods Heat and Eat, turbo or pan fry it then voila!
2. Super Lutong - Anything malutong to me is simply irresistible.  Sarap lutong anytime, all the time.  You know the feeling of attacking a crispy pata in restaurants the moment your waiter serves it on the table?  You attack the balat first so you're assured you devour it while it's crispy?  Ganyang ganyan kalutong ang Purefoods Heat and Eat Crispy Pata and Lechon Kawali.
3. Tender And Tasty - And kapag ubos na ang balat, since the meat is tasty and also tender.  Both variants are already fully cooked and ready to eat after heating them.  The taste didn't disappoint me and the rest of the family at all.  It has the assurance and consistency of restaurant quality favorites.
4. Easy To Cook, Easier To Eat- Just reheat these frozen meats via Turbo or Pan Fry for 10 to 20 minutes then serve.  
5. Inexpensive And Practical - This is what surprised me the most.  The Purefoods Heat And Eat variants are affordably priced at Php 230.00 (for Lechon Kawali at 425g per bag) and Php 325.00 (for Crispy Pata at 900g per bag).  If you eat at restaurants, it would definitely cost you more than these price points.  Buying meat from the wet market, may save you some pesos, but will take so much effort and time to prepare and cook them.  So mas practical if you buy Purefoods Heat And Eat na lang right?

Second Potato Meal: Breakfast Potatoes (Hash Corned Beef and Hash Browns)

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The first type, FRESH POTATOES, I'm very familiar with those.  These are the potatoes which are carefully grown by farmers following strict guidelines se by US seed certification system to ensure that every potato product is high quality.  But what I didn't know is that there are seven potato type categories: russet, red, white, yellow, blue/purple., fingerling, and petite.
The US FROZEN POTATOES come in different varieties and are easily available in leading supermarkets nationwide. Some of the cuts available are frozen half shells, wedges, slices, straight cuts, crinkle cuts, loop/curly or popularly known as twister fries, lattice/basket weave, tater tots, and hash browns. I recently bought some frozen US potatoes in the nearby community market because my kids love french fries and my personal choice, hashbrowns.  I bought them because it's cheaper to prepare them at home than buy them from fast food chains.  Plus cooking them at home means knowing what type of cooking oil I deep-fry them in.  These frozen potatoes also use state-of-the-art technology to meet high industry standards and are instantly quick-frozen to lock in the flavor and nutrients of fresh potatoes. The US Frozen potatoes we see in supermarkets met and passed the stringent requirements of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

• It's a nutritious food packed with vitamins and minerals.
• It's more practical to cook your own frozen potatoes (fries or hashbrowns) at home than order from fast food.
• Cooking an easy healthy potato recipe at home with the kids and even husband is a great family bonding activity.

FROZEN POTATOES:
Brands: 

• Carnation
• Park Lane
• Dane
• Lamb Weston
• Island Valley
• Food Service Pack
• Alexia
• American Maple Leaf
• Golden
• Frenchies

Available in these supermarkets: 

• Cherry Foodarama
• S&R
• SM Supermarkets
• Rustan’s
• Robinson’s

DEHYDRATED POTATOES
Available in these supermarkets: 

• All about baking
• The Baker’s Company
• Best Value Factory Outlet
• Gourdo’s
• S&R

FRESH POTATOES
Available in these supermarkets: 

• Rustan’s
• SM
• Robinsons

So go grab a pack of US potatoes today for you and your kids on your next supermarket trip.  For more information, recipes, and tips, like Potatoes USA on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PotatoesUSAPhilippines.

Raising three boys is no joke.  Boys are more active, more playful, rougher and tougher to handle.  Given that, they all need nutritious foods that would help boost their energies and immunity to sickness.  Let’s take for example my eldest child who is a basketball varsity.  He trains every day after school.  I can just imagine how tired and drained he could be coming home every night right after their training.  To be able to keep up and not be sickly, he really needs to eat properly.  As a mom, it’s my duty to make sure that he and his brothers take in nutritious food and avoid junk that will not help make them healthy at all.

That means giving my kids meat, fruits and vegetables.  Since they need a lot of energy for their daily activities, I’ve always known that what their bodies need are foods rich in potassium and vitamin C.  Surprisingly, the staple vegetable present in our household, has all the nutrition they need: US Potatoes!  Honestly, I didn’t know that my BFF potatoes are that nutritious!  I’m glad it’s my and my children's favorite.

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My kids and I love potatoes in different forms like fries, mashed potatoes, hash browns, baked potatoes, buttered potatoes, and potato croquettes.  I also use potatoes in our household dishes with soup, with corned beef, in omelets, in Menudo, ground pork medley, and many more!  US Potatoes are enjoyable, easy to eat and delicious. The best part is, knowing that something this delicious could be super nutritious.  

Nutritional Benefits of Potatoes

• Potassium – Did you know that it has even more potassium content than banana?  This would help my basketball varsity child keep up with the muscle strengthening activities during his daily trainings.  It will also give energy boost to him and my playful grade-schooler!  Potatoes could fuel both the body and the brain because it’s also a good supply of water and ions in the body.  The concentration is highest in the skin and just beneath it. So, eating the potato with its skin is always beneficial.  They also contain calcium, iron, and phosphorus.   Gladly we eat clean potato skin of baked or steamed potatoes.
• Vitamin C - Potatoes are known for the large amounts of Vitamin C present in them. Typically, 100 gm will contain about 17 mg of Vitamin C.  This is great for boosting immunity against illnesses!
• Vitamin A, B and P – All these vitamins help the brain function well.  When you have kids in school, you need all these brain foods right?
• Brain Food - Proper functioning of the brain depends largely on the glucose level, oxygen supply, various components of the vitamin-B complex and certain hormones, amino acids and fatty acids like omega-3. Potatoes cater to almost all the needs mentioned above. 
• Carbohydrates – Potatoes are high in carbohydrates, and thereby maintain good levels of glucose in the blood. This prevents the brain from letting fatigue creep in and it keeps your cognitive activity and performance high. 
• Other vitamins and minerals- Potatoes contain iron which is what the blood and brain needs.  Since it’s a brain food, it also contains phosphorus, zinc, and the B complex vitamins. They also help in the maintenance of bone strength and structure, especially for kids at earlier stages.  My baby boy who’s turning one next week also loves mashed potatoes and steamed potatoes with rice!

Were you also surprised to know that the power potatoes are that nutritious? 

Now let me share with you a simple US Potato Recipe which you and your kids will surely love!  I’m sharing our homemade mashed potato recipe: 

Mashed Potato Recipe:

1. Peel and cut 8 medium-sized US Potatoes.  
2. Put the potatoes in a large pan, add enough water and bring to a boil for 15-20 mins.  
3. Drain water and put on low fire.  
4. Mash the potatoes.
5. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup milk.  Mix all ingredients.  
6. Make sure there are no lumps and the mashed potato is creamy.
7. Serve with a smile.

Oh, I must add this, that not only US Potatoes are good for kids, they are also beneficial to us too because it potatoes can lessen the risk of heart ailments and can aid in living a healthier eating lifestyle.  Also if you’re living an active lifestyle or an athletic person, the nutritional values of US Potatoes could help boost athletic performance!

JUNE is a month to remember by every Filipino because of it's a month we celebrate the National Independence Day.  F1 Hotel Manila clearly never forgets for it's the month they launch their annual Filipino Feast LuzViMinda 5.  This year's LuzViMinda has a theme of Gastronomical Fusion featuring three talented guest chefs Mikel Zaguirre (representing Luzon), Dennis Uy (representing Visayas) and Kalel Chan (representing Mindanao), headed by Executive Chef Decker Gokioco.
This wasn't the first time we experienced a dining euphoria in F1 Hotel Manila, the first one was in 2014 which I wrote about HERE.  So when we got a chance to devour yet another round of F1 Hotel Manila's LuzViMinda dishes, we're just so happy that diet isn't part of our family's vocabulary.

So let me tour you around the Philippine islands through one thing that will bring peace to everyone: FOOD!

LUZON
The dishes which Chef Mikel Zaguirre prepared were inspired by heirloom recipes which were meticulously crafted by research and adjusted a little bit to adapt the modern palate.
VISAYAS
Chef Dennis Uy’s dishes were inspired from his travels around the archipelago.  The Visayan dishes are familiar to my palette since I've traveled to different cities in this region.  There's a special place in my heart for Visayas, and so is their food of course!

MINDANAO
Chef Kalel Chan, presented an array of sumptuous dishes which were all worth trying!  Mindanao is where my mom's family is from (Gen. Santos City!) and where she and dad secretly married (Polomolok!) before her hand was officially asked for marriage (wedding in church, so if my lolo didn't give his blessings, wala na rin sila magagawa.)  Anyway, the dishes were all new to me but I surely enjoyed the Mindanao cuisine.

A few weeks ago, my kids and I had an awesome time during Krispy Kreme's Summer Tease event in their newly renovated Bonifacio High Street flagship store in BGC.  The fun event gave us a taste of what's it going to be like during summer in Krispy Kreme.  They are going to host a series of Summer Play Dates, Workshops and events which are definitely something to look forward to!

Whenever school season comes to an end, as parents, we always look for activities for our children to be busy with.  Great news, because Krispy Kreme has FOUR exciting activities the whole family could participate in (yeah, us coffee-dougnut-lovers too!)
First on the list is Krispy Kreme's egg-citing Easter Hunt on April 16, 2017 for kids aged 6 to 10 years old. Fun prizes and surprise treats are in store, making it the perfect play date for our kiddie fans.
Second, Krispy Kreme will have its Summer Workshop open to 6- to 12-year olds and will be a combination of fun games and learning sessions. Students will get a chance to learn what it’s like to be on the other side of the counter by being Kiddie Baristas or Doughnut Masters for the day.
Third, Krispy Kreme will have a Summer Job Program for teens and college students who are aged 15- to 22-years old.  I remember when I was still a student, I've always wondered how it feels like working during the summer but never had a chance to do so.  So if you're a teen or a college student, here's your chance to take part of Krispy Kreme's month-long paid training!  Participants will be exposed and immersed in the doughnut and coffee business, arming them with skills and experiences to make their summer break fun and productive.
Fourth, Krispy Kreme's limited edition coupons will make the experience even sweeter because your favorite doughnuts and coffees will be offered in doubles and pairs! You may enjoy double treats and delightful pairings of its Original Glazed doughnuts, signature coffee, Baked Creations, and the new Doughnut Holes – round, bite-sized doughnuts that come in different flavors like Matcha, Red Velvet, Churro, Chocolate and more.
Wow!  All four Summer Treats by Krispy Kreme will surely make this school break memorable for us (doughnut and coffee lovers) and more especially for the kids too!

“Krispy Kreme always strives to create joyful memories for its customers, and as we know that kids, teens, and their families are regular guests of the brand, we want to offer an experience to them that will be both fun and productive even if it’s the summer break,” shares Sharon T. Fuentebella, Krispy Kreme Philippines’ Chief Executive Officer.  “Plus, with the double treats and pairings of favorites like the Original Glazed doughnuts that we have all come to love, we want to make sure Krispy Kreme is also able to help create delightful experiences families will treasure throughout the years.”

For ten years now, Krispy Kreme Philippines has been sharing joyful experiences to Filipinos with its innovative product offerings, a warm and cozy store ambience, and fun activities that are uniquely memorable Krispy Kreme moments. And with these exciting activities and sweet deals, Krispy Kreme fans are sure to enjoy double the fun this summer season.

So make sure you and your whole family drop by Krispy Kreme in its flagship store to enjoy all the Summer Workshops and Activities for kids and Double Treats and Pairings too!  For more information and updates, like Krispy Kreme on Facebook. follow them on Twitter or visit their website www.krispykreme.ph.